The Criminal
by aprms
Summary: Sequel to The Basketcase. Nick, Jess and the rest of the group are heading off to college, and Nick fears the worst for his relationship. But 2000 miles isn't that far...is it?
1. The Toast

**Hello. I'm back! BACK. For all that read The Basketcase, this is chapter one of the sequel I promised…in 2014. Yeah, I suck :) for all that have not read TBC, what are you doing?! Go read it! Haha no, you don't have to, but it's advised, and I'd love you forever.**

 **So I'm back in the FF NG fandom (in time for season 5!), and I'm determined to get this entire story out before March, fingers crossed! For anyone who lost faith in me, I'm sorry! I hope this sequel is enough to make you forgive me. I've been away from FF for too long and fully plan to make it up.**

 **Anyway, I'll just get on with it now. Keepin' it zipped. Forever grateful to my beta, Ztofan.**

The Toast

Nick reached out and pressed the end of his half-smoked cigarette against the thick wood of the tree house wall and then threw it out of the window, making sure it landed on the other side of the fence. His Mom would kill him if she saw cigarette butts on her lawn, and considering how much of a thin line he was treading already, he didn't want to upset her even more.

He'd tried giving up altogether, but it had been harder than he'd first anticipated, and even the fact that he'd started putting them out half way through had been enough to satisfy his girlfriend for the time being. And that was all that mattered to Nick.

He was waiting for her now, in their place, legs stretched out on the cushions where they'd had their first kiss, their first…everything. They'd been together a while now, longer than Nick had expected. Part of him thought he'd have fucked it up by now, in some way, like he always did with people he cared about and let too close. But Jess was stubborn. She didn't let him mess it up, and for that they were stronger than ever.

Which was why he was worried, the evidence of this in his bitten nails and tapping foot. It was almost time. Syracuse was looming ahead of him, the days ticking down, and soon he'd be thousands of miles from the girl that kept him sane, held his hand when he was angry, sang softly to him at night. They'd discussed their relationship at length, and agreed that neither of them wanted to break up, but Nick knew they both understood how many challenges they were going to be up against. It sure wasn't going to be easy, for Nick in particular. He bit his fingernail again.

The squeak of tires made him sit up straight, a grin forming on his face. She sounded like she was in a rush, which could only be a good thing.

He stuck his head out of the window to see Jess clambering off her already-too-small bike, long brown hair falling in a curtain across her face.

"Where for art thou, Jessica?" Nick called out, his usual smirk plastered on his face. Jess looked up at him, eyes sparkling.

"Shut up, Juliet," she laughed in reply, pushing her hair behind her ears. "I have news."

As she started to climb, her Converse easily gripping the bark of the tree, Nick wondered when Jess had stopped being the girl with the skinny knees he'd known at school, who hid behind her bangs and never spoke a word. The girl approaching him now was gorgeous and tan, her hair wavy and her legs long. Nick hadn't noticed the gradual change in her and the confidence boost that had come with it. She had a brilliant sense of humour and a wicked smile. She'd become the kind of girl guys looked at in the street. Not that she noticed any of that, of course. She was still the oblivious basket case he'd fallen in love with when he was sixteen.

"What did your Mom say, then?" Nick asked as he helped her into the tree house and watched her sit across from him. She'd been at home, trying to convince Joan Day to let Nick drive her to college in Oregon. Nick had been secretly looking forward to spending some quality alone time with her, and had been keeping his fingers and toes crossed…not that he'd tell Jess that.

"It took about four hours to convince her, but she said yes!" Jess said, entwining her bare feet with Nick's sock clad ones. "Her only conditions were no drugs and no hitchhikers."

Nick pulled a face at her. "Do you know me at all? If we pick up any hitchhikers we might as well just drive the car off a cliff. All hitchhikers are serial killers. _Everyone_ knows that Jessica."

"I'm pretty sure that's not true," Jess laughed, raising her eyebrows at him. "But rules are rules, and that includes the drug part too." She looked pointedly at him. He pretended to look offended, but both of them knew Nick's days of smoking pot were pretty much over. The friends he'd kept when he was Miller were long gone now, none of them wanting to hang out with him once he'd started spending time with the likes of Schmidt. Nick didn't mind. Schmidt was cool, and they were going to college together, which was more than what any of Nick's old stoner friends could say. Nick still sometimes couldn't believe it. He was going to study Political Science. At _college_. The first Miller to make it past high school.

The tree house went quiet as Jess nudged Nick's feet with hers, smiling tentatively. Nick smiled weakly back. "We'll be okay," Jess said. "We're Miller and Day. We'll be fine."

Nick nodded, but the implications weighed heavy on both of them as the silence stretched on. Jess was going to study English at the University of Oregon, and Nick wasn't sure how often he would get to see her. It wasn't like they could meet every weekend. He knew Jess was proud of him though, for what he had chosen to do, and even he himself was surprised that he was still all set to go. Part of him had wanted to just forget it all and move to Oregon with Jess, get a job fixing things or in a kitchen somewhere cooking burgers. He was sure he would have been fine as long as he was with Jess. But he had chosen a career instead, and Jess appreciated that.

Jess shuffled forward, seating herself next to him with her bare legs over his lap. She put her arms around his neck. "I love you," she smiled, locking her fingers at the base of his neck. "And I'll love you forever."

"I love you too." Nick put his arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap, burying his head in her neck. She smelled fresh, like oranges and clean hair. "We'll talk every day, I promise."

They stayed like that for a while, until Nick started to feel the familiar pull towards her, the fluttering in his stomach. He lifted his head, ready to kiss her in that way he knew she couldn't resist, but she pulled away quickly. "Oh! I forgot to tell you. Everyone is meeting at the park tonight. Cece said something about a last goodbye before we all go. I think she's a bit sad that she's not jetting off anywhere."

Nick tried to hide his disappointment at how the situation had suddenly turned. "She'll soon be jetting off all over the place, the way her modeling looks like it's going."

"Yeah, well." Jess beamed down at him. "I still think we should go. We haven't spoken to those guys in ages. Winston and Cece anyway."

He sighed. "I guess so."

Jess paused. "So how's your Mom?"

Nick shrugged. "She's getting used to the idea of me not being here. I think she's surprised I got in to be honest, I mean it's weird for her that I'm suddenly this smart kid with responsibilities."

"You've always been responsible," Jess replied, looking him in the eyes. "You've taken care of Jamie and your family this whole time, this is just a different kind of responsibility. Your Mom is probably just scared of losing you and all your help with your brother."

"He doesn't need me much anymore," Nick said. "He's grown up a bit, he can cook a few things now. He cooks with Mom a lot."

"See," Jess nudged him supportively. "They're gonna be fine you know, just like us. You wait and see."

Nick touched his forehead against hers for a moment, their noses bumping affectionately. "Okay, but you don't get to tell me you told me so."

Jess pulled away, feigning shock. "Me? Miss know it all? Never." She grinned and he couldn't help but return it.

"So when are we meeting the guys then?"

Jess checked her watch. "In about an hour or so?" She smirked, flicking her hair behind her shoulders. She wore her bangs to the side now, and Nick could see the mischief in her eyes as she locked them with his. "More than enough time for what you're thinking."

He grinned, letting her lean down and cover his mouth with hers. They had gotten way too good at this. His fingertips tingled with excitement as he felt her move toward him and her thighs wrap around his waist.

"You know me too well," he mumbled against her lips, and she let out a breathy giggle, leaning back to take off her shirt.

* * *

The air was warm as they made their way to the local park, fingers intertwined. Nick found himself sneaking looks at Jess over and over, the way her fleecy cardigan slipped off her shoulder and her annoyance as she tried futilely to cover up again. It was the little things about her that had him completely in awe. He squeezed her hand and looked away, focusing his attention on the group ahead of them, their features harsh in the light of the flashlights they had brought.

Cece and Schmidt were sitting side by side on the grass, knees touching. She was whispering something to him as Winston sat on her other side, drinking from a bottle in a brown paper bag and looking bored. His eyes lit up when he saw them. "Thank God!" he cried, jumping up to bump fists with Nick. "I've had enough of being a damn third wheel here!"

Jess laughed as Schmidt and Cece looked on, embarrassed. Jess immediately plonked herself down next to Schmidt, excited to talk to him, and probably to have a good nosy into the Schmece situation. The two of them had been pretty quiet about the whole thing, but hadn't denied it. Schmidt had told Nick it was just a fling because he was going away, but Nick wasn't one to pry so he didn't know much else about it. He didn't really care, but Jess sure did. She'd explained that this was what happened when you were personally responsible for them hooking up.

Cece had scored herself a pretty sweet contract with a local modeling agency, but had been thinking of transferring somewhere else after it ended. Originally she had only wanted to model to stay in school, but now that was over plenty of agencies had told her she could go bigger, and she seemed curious enough to try it. Winston was going to Wisconsin on the basketball scholarship he had acquired, and although he was acting cool, everyone knew he was thrilled to have gotten in somewhere. Between the five of them, they had all managed to get a pretty good deal. Not bad for a bunch of misfits.

Nick took the bottle from Winston's outstretched hand and had a swig, recognizing the taste as whiskey. He shot his friend a look of approval. "My sister got it for me," Winston explained, shrugging. "I prefer a fruity cocktail, but they don't really do those in bottles."

Everyone looked at him strangely, Nick almost choking on the alcohol. "You're full of surprises kid," he spluttered, wiping at his eyes and offering the bottle to Jess.

"Will I like it?" Jess asked, eyeing the bag.

"No," Nick replied, before shaking it in her direction. The contents made a sloshing sound. "But it's all we got."

Jess hesitated a moment longer before taking the bottle from his hands and having a long swig that made Nick wince, knowing she wasn't going to like it. He was reminded of that time in the closet after they first met, Jess high as a kite on pot. The memory made him chuckle to himself.

"Urgh," Jess choked out after she swallowed. "That tastes like poison."

"That's because it is," Cece snorted, having a drink. "Pure, delicious poison."

"Who's getting poisoned?"

The group whipped round to see three figures approaching them. Jess shot to her feet. "You made it!"

Sadie emerged from the shadows, her new lip piercing glinting in the glow from their flashlights. She hugged Jess and nodded at Nick, who returned it with a smile. He and Sadie had gotten closer since he'd been serious with Jess. They actually had a lot in common – mainly their general hatred for other people.

Paul and Rachel followed, holding hands. They'd been going strong too, and were going to Chicago together, Paul to do Education in North Park and Rachel to the University of Chicago for Art History. Both smiled tentatively at the group. Nick suspected they still felt a little intimidated by everyone, especially as they were the quietest of the group, and the most introverted. They hadn't hung out with everyone as much as Sadie had, and weren't as willing to make a lot of friends. Nick got that, not much of a social butterfly himself. He liked who he liked, and that was that.

"Congrats Sadie, by the way," Schmidt said as they all settled down, passing the bottle around once more. "For Pre-Med. That's awesome. You'll be in Medical School before you know it, saving lives and…" he paused, realizing there wasn't much else to say. "…and stuff. Whatever else doctors do. Making money, scoring chicks." Cece glared at him.

Sadie waved it off, her face going red. "Yeah, sure. It's not that amazing, but whatever."

"It's _so_ amazing, idiot," Jess countered, rolling her eyes. "You are gonna be an awesome doctor."

"I'm just ready to get out of this place," Sadie replied, taking the whiskey from Winston. "I'm so bored of it here."

Sadie and Roxy had gone through a pretty rough break up a couple of months ago, and both Nick and Jess could see that she was still a little hurt. Roxy had been her first girlfriend, someone she genuinely cared about. Nick wasn't surprised she was desperate to get away from Shermer High and everything that was associated with it. It was her chance for a fresh start.

"It's all really happening," Jess stated, to no one in particular. It was quiet now, everyone contemplating their future. "The club is breaking up to go on and do awesome and scary things."

"Seriously though, we should have a reunion when we all come back," Cece responded, everyone nodding their approval at this idea. "I'll make sure I'm here. I'll quit modeling if I have to."

"Don't quit!" Schmidt cried, looking at Cece incredulously. "I get to tell people I hooked up with a model!"

Cece hit him in his side. "Ouch! No need for violence."

Nick chuckled to himself. He liked the more confident Schmidt, the one who had emerged once it became clear Cece was actually into him and it wasn't all some big joke, something Schmidt had thought to be true for far too long before she set him straight. They sure were a totally different bunch now, compared to the old Breakfast Club, a group of young idiots who couldn't get along if their lives depended on it. Now, Nick looked at his friends fondly, thinking reluctantly that he was going to miss them all.

None of that compared to how he was going to miss his girlfriend though. He watched her now, her head tipping back as she laughed at Cece and Schmidt's bickering. She was his dream girl. The thought of her being with anyone else made him want to sink into a hole. And then probably punch something.

But Nick knew Jess, and he knew them. They were a power couple, and nothing was going to get in their way. She caught his eye, lips pursing as she tried not to smile at his obvious staring. _I love you_ , she mouthed at him. Everyone else seemed to melt away, his vision blurring at the edges. Nick could only see Jess. That's how it was these days.

"I propose a toast," Winston announced, standing up and raising the whiskey to the sky.

"You're the only one with a drink!" Sadie replied, laughing. Winston held his hand up to silence her and she rolled her eyes.

Jess stood up too. "I second the toast," she declared, raising her imaginary glass with Winston. "To friends staying friends."

Nick got to his feet with Schmidt, and soon everyone was playing along. "To friends staying friends!" They all cheered, clinking their invisible drinks and giggling, the effects of the whiskey sinking in. Jess pulled the girls in for a group hug, and then all of a sudden everyone was piled together, embracing whoever they could reach, cries of _ooft_ and _Schmidt, get your hand off my ass_ heard in the fray.

The girls were subtly trying to wipe their eyes as everyone pulled away, and Jess fixed Nick with a watery-eyed gaze that he understood completely. He crossed over to her and pulled her to his chest. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and he heard her breathing him in. God, who was going to take care of her in Oregon? He was the only one allowed to hold her like this.

Eventually, everyone said their goodbyes and headed home, the darkness fully starting to set in. Schmidt put his coat around Cece's shoulders as they walked away, both waving over their shoulders. Winston set off at a light jog, saluting everyone as he went. Nick and Jess walked with Sadie, Rachel and Paul for a while before they broke off respectively, turning down their streets until it was just the two of them. Jess was quiet, and Nick knew she was trying not to be upset.

He put his arm around her shoulders, hoping to protect her from the night chill. "I'm glad you made me come," Nick said to her, giving her a reassuring smile. "You're good at keeping me on the social map. If it weren't for you I'd still be in a hole somewhere, high as hell."

She chuckled. "I know, I'm amazing. Although…" she shot him a look. "You're not too bad yourself. I'd most likely be holed up somewhere too if we hadn't met. My circle or friends was more like a lame triangle before you came crashing into my life."

"Nah, it's a square if you count yourself, and that doesn't sound as bad," Nick replied, laughing as she punched his arm. "Hey, you chose to go out with me, knowing I was a jackass."

"You're alright," she smirked at him. "Even if you do steal all the covers and eat way too many burritos."

They had reached Jess' house now, and she leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss him. Her lips were warm and gone far too soon. "I'll call you tomorrow," she said, touching her hand to his cheek. He nodded.

"I love you Jess," he said, as she walked away.

She turned back to him as she reached her door. "I love you too. I'm yours, you know. And you're mine." She grinned. "We're stuck with each other."

He watched her until she shut the door, and then headed home. They sure were stuck with each other, although Nick thought that didn't seem so bad. He just damn well hoped it would stay that way.


	2. Campus

**Here's chapter two. As anyone who knows my writing knows, there is plenty of angst coming up. Nick and Jess are never gonna have it easy with me! Just call me Meriwether :)**

 **Ztofan, as always, is amazing. 3 She makes me realise I'm so British sometimes I want to go and drink a cup of Earl Grey and read Harry Potter whilst talking about the weather.**

 **Please review/fave/anything you like if you can guys! Even if it's a request for something you'd like to see in the future - I'm open to any suggestions!**

Campus

It didn't feel real, how they were right now - everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, like a film. The perfect scene in front of Nick almost made him laugh. It was like the universe was making fun of him.

Jess sat in the passenger seat, her legs propped up on the dash, head tipped back lazily as she smiled at him. The steering wheel was warm beneath his palms and the trees whizzed past as he drove on, blurs of green and brown. Jess had cracked a window and the breeze that filtered in was making wisps of her hair float around her face, sticking to her cheek and lips. She didn't seem to notice, or care.

They couldn't have asked for a better couple of days to drive to Oregon and say their goodbyes. They'd decided to make a thing of it, taking three days to get there and making it into somewhat of a vacation, stopping off in motels along the way. Nick remembered lying in the dark with her last night, the bed springs digging uncomfortably into his back. Jess had all but ripped his clothes off as soon as they had found the room, pulling him desperately on to the bed like it was their last night on Earth. He guessed it felt a little like that.

They had lain together afterwards, just staring at each other, Nick stroking her back and Jess running her fingers through his hair. They hadn't said much. Everything had already been said.

Nick chewed his lip nervously, trying not to let Jess see. She seemed content in the warmth of the little bubble they had at the moment, just the two of them and his beat up truck, surrounded by quiet forest. All of Jess' stuff was piled haphazardly in the back, wrapped together and secured with thick rope. Nick remembered the dazed look on his girlfriend's face as she'd watched him work with the rope, pulling it tight, and the way her eyes followed the beads of sweat that rolled down his forehead as he did so. He'd noticed, and totally taken advantage of it, as a good boyfriend should when his girlfriend is looking like she quite clearly wants to jump his bones into next week.

Jess had her favorite book open on her lap, but she hadn't looked at it in a while, instead staring out of the window with her chin resting on her hand. She shot the occasional furtive glance at Nick, smiling into her fingers, but other than that they hadn't spoken much. Nick was afraid of spoiling the moment. _We should have done more trips together_ , he thought to himself in frustration. But although he had his licence – he'd acquired it as soon as he could, trading in a few of his collectable baseball stuff for a cheap deal on the truck – it had never crossed their minds.

He felt a hand on his knee and looked up at Jess, startled out of his reverie. "Stop that," she said calmly, raising her eyebrows.

"Stop what?"

"Nick, I've known you far too long to not know when you're doing your usual thing."

He laughed. "What thing is that?"

Jess turned her gaze on the road ahead. "Overthinking everything."

God, she knew him too well. She had been able to see straight through him after knowing him for half a day, of course she could tell when he was worrying after two years together. He swallowed nervously. "I can't help it Jess."

They were silent for a few minutes, but Jess didn't remove her hand from his knee and Nick enjoyed the feel of her touch a bit longer.

"I'm thinking about it too," Jess started up again, "we just have to see the positives. We're both gonna end up better off for going to college. We shouldn't be throwing away this opportunity."

"Spoken like a true teacher," he laughed. "You thinking of going into education after Oregon, Miss Day?"

"I might," she teased. "Don't make me get my glasses out and do my librarian impression."

Nick looked at her sceptically. "You know I secretly love that impression right? It doesn't scare me. It kind of massively turns me on actually."

Jess moved her hand to slap him on the arm. "Nicholas!"

Nick laughed, running a hand over his face to try to combat the tiredness he felt creeping in. He'd started to grow a sort of scruff on his face, something that Jess had noticed a few months ago. He'd tried to remember to shave all the time, but it was just so damn _annoying_. He'd apologized to Jess one day after a pretty heated make out session, but she had simply put her hand over his mouth and whispered _I love it_. Since then, he had made a conscious effort to keep it just that little bit dishevelled. It had worked damn good in his favour.

"We gotta stop for gas," Nick stated, starting to pull into the nearest station. He'd narrowly avoided having _the college conversation_ yet again, and wanted to keep her off track until she forgot what she was about to chastise him for. It was hard enough that they were parting ways again, but Nick definitely didn't want to talk about it on the way there too.

Jess nodded, saying nothing and returning to her book as they pulled into the gas station. "Get me some twizzlers if you can."

Nick filled the tank and went into the store to pay, making sure he picked up the candy Jess had asked for. As he was approaching the counter he spied a rack of disposable cameras in multiple colors by the window. Hesitating for a second, Nick wandered over and picked up a bright blue one, examining it with a frown. It was only a few dollars, and he felt like Jess would appreciate it. They had hardly any photos together, aside from the occasional time Sadie had snapped one of them mid conversation or, much to Nick's chagrin, mid-sneeze.

He paid for the items and the gas and returned to the truck, where Jess was still reading, window down, her nose slightly wrinkled and her bottom lip between her teeth. Nick smirked, knowing she was at her favorite bit for probably the hundredth time. He loved that she still made the same face without fail.

He unwrapped the camera and wound the dial, raising it to his eye and taking a photo of her before she noticed his return. It made a loud _snap_ , making her turn to him in surprise, eyes wide. "Did you just take a picture of me, Miller?"

Nick nodded, smiling. "I needed to capture that face. It's called," he paused for dramatic effect, " _Chapter 135_."

Confused, Jess looked down at her copy of _Moby Dick_. "How did you know I was at that part?"

Nick climbed in beside her. "Because I'm a genius. And because you can multitask at all hours of the day Jess, but never when you're on that chapter."

He smirked at her, picking up her hand to kiss it. He knew she'd be putty in his hands after that.

"You're so weird." She grinned at him, blushing slightly.

"I know."

Nick started the engine and they continued their journey, Jess pointing the camera at everything she could, practically humming with delight. "We should get these developed as soon as we get to Eugene," Jess mused, taking a picture of him as he drove, trying unsuccessfully to stop her. "I'd like to have some for my dorm room."

"Sure thing," Nick replied, his heart sinking ever so slightly at the mention of college life. It was stupid, he knew, what with their entire day, their entire _vacation_ revolving around it, but the little things still knocked him sometimes, like knowing his only presence in Jess' room would be a crappy photo pinned somewhere.

They drove into the city in silence, Jess gazing out of the window like a child, trying to take everything in at once. Nick had to admit it was a beautiful place, the grey of the buildings contrasting with the burnt orange of the trees scattered everywhere. In the distance the mountains loomed above the city. A city in a forest – Nick liked that, and, judging by the awestruck look on Jess' face, she liked it too. She took a few more photos as he drove on.

The campus was buzzing with life, nervous and excited looking students milling about with their parents. Nick saw a few disgruntled kids attempting to control their emotional mothers, or arguing with their siblings over a last minute decision about whose property actually belonged to who. He tried not to chuckle to himself, knowing that his family would be exactly the same. That is, if they had planned to go with him to Syracuse. He knew it would be too much for his Mom, so he and Schmidt had made arrangements to go together a long time ago. Nick preferred it that way – it was hard enough to say goodbye to Jess, let alone the brother and mother who had relied on him for so long.

"I think it's this one," Jess stated as they pulled up next to a large block surrounded by grass. "Hamilton Hall. I'm on the second floor."

Nick hopped out of the truck and started to unload Jess' bags as she collected her key from the opposite building. "Let's do it then," he puffed when she returned, key jangling on her finger. "I'm glad you're not in the penthouse, my body is not built for that shit."

She rolled her eyes, snapping a quick photo of him covered in her stuff and looking incredibly displeased. "My lady," Nick said, gesturing for her to lead the way. He should _not_ have bought her that camera.

It took them a while to climb the stairs, Jess eventually freeing Nick of a few bags when it looked like he might collapse. Nick had tried to explain that the smoking hadn't helped his fitness, but they both knew he had never picked up a dumbbell in his entire life, and wasn't about to start.

Jess stopped at an open doorway. "This is it," she whispered to him, nervous now. "I think that's my roommate in there."

Nick craned to get a better look. "She hot?"

Jess elbowed him in the ribs, making him almost drop the bags. "Oof. For Winston, I meant!"

The girl in Jess' room had been putting clothes away, her back turned to them, but spun round when she heard the commotion. She was short and a little chubby, of Indian descent, and pretty, although she was wearing a lot of makeup. Her mouth opened almost comically when she saw she had company.

"Oh my God, roomie!" she cried excitedly, throwing herself across the room and into Jess' arms. Nick and Jess' eyes locked over the girl's shoulder, and Nick wanted to laugh. "You're gorgeous. I want us to be best friends immediately."

They pulled apart, and the girl offered her hand. "I'm Mindy."

"Jess." They shook hands, and Jess started to smile. "This is my boyfriend Nick."

Mindy looked at him for a second, her eyes clearly undressing him. "Also hot. Nice to meet you."

Nick took her offered hand, feeling a little scared.

Mindy turned her back to them, wandering back into the room. "I picked my bed, I hope that's okay with you." She showed no indication of moving if it _wasn't_ okay. Nick was glad this Mindy person was Jess' roommate and not his. She seemed a little too high maintenance for his liking, and reminded him of Jessica P for some reason, which was _not_ a good thing.

"It's fine," Jess nodded, "I prefer this side." She crossed to her bed and put her bags down, looking around. "What do you think?" she asked Nick, eyes sparkling. He could tell she was happy. The room was as basic as they came, but he knew Jess only cared about who she was rooming with, and although this chick seemed pretty crazy, he couldn't exactly argue that Jess wasn't. They were well suited, he had to admit that. With a jolt, he realized that Mindy was sort of like the new Cece. He bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smirking.

"It's great," he replied. Neither of them said anything, and Mindy coughed awkwardly into the silence.

"Okay," she said. "I'm gonna go find my parents. I think they're checking out the dining hall, making sure the food is edible here." She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Or more likely they'll be looking for a husband for me. They don't waste time."

She left, and Nick was left alone with Jess once again. "She's something." Nick said, raising his eyebrows.

Jess giggled. "She's my kind of person."

"You've only known her five seconds Jess."

"A girl knows these things!" She paused thoughtfully. "She kinda reminds me of-"

"Cece?" Nick interrupted, and his smirk broke out again.

"Yes!" Jess giggled, pursing her lips. "Which is awesome, obviously."

Nick sniggered, shaking his head. He took a few steps further into the room, eyes scanning the place. "I really do like it you know. I'm just taking it all in I guess."

She gave him a strained smile, stepping up to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. After a few seconds of holding her he buried his face in her hair, trying to remember her scent, commit it to memory. He had no idea when he'd see her next – a couple of months maybe? More than that? He realized with a heavy heart that he was gonna need to get a job in New York, and fast. Seeing Jess was going to work out pretty damn expensive. He was sure she'd come to him too, and be happy to – she hadn't seen the Big Apple yet and talked about it all the time – but he didn't want to put that kind of pressure on her. After all, further education had always been Jess' thing, and only recently his. He knew how much it meant to her.

They pulled away, Jess' eyes betraying her as they filled with tears. "So, shall we go have a look around?"

After a brief phone call with her Mom, in which Jess reassured her that she knew all of the nearest fire exits and hospitals and yes she and Nick definitely _were_ using condoms, the two of them explored the campus, grabbing food from the dining hall and sitting on the grass to eat. Nick, as always, struggled with how much Jess enjoyed the fact that it was called the _humpy lumpy lawn_. "Jess, it's just dumb," he'd muttered, clearly not as amused as her. She'd ignored him, snorting into her sandwich.

After an hour or two Nick checked his watch, noting that it was getting late. The motel he planned to stay on the way back was still a couple of hours out of the city, and he'd hoped to cut as much of his travel time tomorrow as he could. It wasn't going to be the same without his girlfriend. His stomach twisted into a tight knot when he looked at Jess, chewing thoughtfully as she watched the last few stragglers trying to unpack their things and get up to their rooms.

She had put her glasses on now, her hair slightly frizzy from the breeze, and Nick saw a glimpse of the basket case again. He saw the girl who had turned his world upside down and then made it right, and he didn't want to go. He wanted to stay on this stupid humpy lawn forever.

But his mouth betrayed him. "I gotta go, Jess."

She tilted her head towards him and blinked in surprise. "What time is it?"

"Almost six." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'll fall asleep at the wheel if I don't go soon. I wanna get a few hours in before I stop anywhere."

Swallowing heavily, Jess eventually nodded, not looking at him. She was staring into the distance, her eyebrows furrowed. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to come-"

"No, I wanted to do it Jess, honest."

"It's so far."

"I wanted to spend it with you."

Jess swallowed thickly. "We didn't develop those photos." Her bottom lip trembled ever so slightly, and she caught it in her teeth, biting down. He _hated_ seeing her upset like this, and for once it wasn't because of him. A simple apology wasn't going to fix it this time, and that killed Nick.

"Hey," he murmured, moving closer to her and brushing his thumb over her mouth. She was fighting the tears back, hard. "I'll leave it with you, okay? You can have them. I don't want loads of pictures of me driving and yelling at you anyway."

She laughed softly. "They are mostly of you yelling. It's kind of hot though."

He cut off her giggle with his mouth, and her lip stopped quivering as she let him kiss her deeply, his hand in her hair. God, how was he going to survive without kissing her like this? Without hearing her sweet sighs in his mouth and her eyelashes fluttering against his cheek?

 _Don't think about it_ , his brain responded, _just enjoy it, for once in your life Miller._

He listened, moving his hand to her face, drinking her in. He briefly flashed back to the tree house, to their first kiss, the way they had clutched at each other like they were the only people in the world. It felt like that again – like Jess was the only person in the world, and she was his.

Jess pulled away, gasping, her lips pink. "I love you," she whispered, her breath tickling his face.

"I love you too."

"I don't want to be another cliché couple," she continued, ignoring him. Her eyes were bright and wild as they met his. "I want us to last." She reached up to stroke his face, her hand trailing down his neck. He almost shivered. "Us…this, is real. You know?"

He grinned down at her. "I know. I'm not going anywhere Jess." He paused, thinking. "Well, I'm going to the other side of the country, but _emotionally_ , I'm not going anywhere." Jess rolled her watery eyes at him. "I'm yours Jessica," he finished simply.

She let out a shaky breath. "Good. Because when we leave college, no matter what, I want to be with you. That's all I want."

It felt like someone was squeezing Nick's heart, and he couldn't tell whether it felt good or bad. "I want that too. I want all the things with you." He inwardly cringed, pulling away slightly. "I mean… shit, not like marriage or anything." He felt like the dumbest boy in the world, and he could tell it was written all over his face. "Not that I wouldn't – I just mean…" he spluttered, his ears now feeling extremely hot. _You're digging a hole Miller._ "I just mean that I, we…um…oh, fuck."

Jess burst into laughter, the sound carrying across the now quite empty lawn. Nick covered his face with his hands. "You know what I meant." _Jesus Christ_ , his brain shouted at him.

"Jess put a comforting hand on his shoulder, still sniggering. "Yeah. You have such a way with words." She stood, wiping her shorts down as she did so. "Come on Hemingway. Let's get back to the car."

They walked slowly and deliberately back to Nick's truck, Jess gripping Nick's hand tightly. "I wish cell phones weren't so expensive," she mused as they came to a stop.

"You can still call me," Nick replied, squeezing her fingers. "Whenever you want."

Jess smiled at him. "We are gonna rock this long distance thing, you watch," she said, tugging at the collar of his flannel. "Power couple, always."

"Always," Nick murmured, leaning down for a kiss. It was soft and sweet and lingering. He still felt the tingling feeling of her lips on his, even as he climbed into his seat and closed the door behind him. He leaned out of the open window to give her their camera, resting his forearms on the side of the car, gazing at her. She was all tanned legs and dark hair.

"Get out of here, loser," she teased, and her eyes welled up again. "Before we change our minds."

He started the engine and began to pull away, using every ounce of his self-control to stop himself from turning round and never leaving her again. It had to be done, it had to be like this, for the sake of their futures. For _his_ future. Because he finally had one.

"I love you, Jessica Day," he yelled out of the window, and she laughed delightedly, clutching the camera to her chest.

With a final wave, Nick gritted his teeth and put his foot down, driving until Jess was completely out of sight.


End file.
